Chicken dome sling

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for use with a chicken dome, comprising a handle and a cradle, the cradle defining a tubular portion having at least one opening which presents horizontally in use, the handle and the cradle being defined by film and the cradle being adapted to support the chicken dome for carriage by the handle in use.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application 61/253,879, filed on Oct. 22, 2009, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to the food industry.

BACKGROUND

It is well-known in the prepared food industry to sell cooked whole chickens. Often, each chicken is packaged in a plastic tray covered with a transparent plastic cover, collectively referred to as a “chicken dome”. The cover interlocks with the tray. In a supermarket environment, each chicken dome is typically bagged in a standard grocery bag at checkout, and subsequent handling of the bag by a customer can result in tipping of the dome, causing leakage of juices and oils from the chicken onto nearby items.

One solution to this problem has been to enclose chicken domes in cardboard carriers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An apparatus for use with a chicken dome forms one aspect of the invention. The apparatus comprises: a handle constructed from film; and a cradle constructed from film and supported from the handle in use. The cradle defines a tubular portion having an opening which presents horizontally in use and is adapted to support said chicken dome for carriage by the handle in use.

According to another aspect of the invention, the handle and the cradle can be formed integrally from a single sheet of film.

According to another aspect of the invention, the film can be transparent.

According to another aspect of the invention, the cradle can be adapted to allow insertion of said chicken dome through the opening.

According to another aspect of the invention, the cradle can be adapted to grippingly engage said chicken dome in use.

According to another aspect of the invention, the apparatus can further comprise one or more slits in the tubular portion, the slits extending lengthwise of the tubular portion and flanking opposite sides of said chicken dome in use.

According to another aspect of the invention, the circumference of the tubular portion of the cradle can be adjustable by means of a sliding clip through which the film defining the tubular portion extends.

According to another aspect of the invention, the apparatus can further comprise a sliding clip to which the film defining the handle extends and from which the film defining the tubular portion extends, the circumference of the tubular portion and the length of the handle being adjustable through movement of said sliding clip.

According to another aspect of the invention, the tubular portion can define an aperture through which the bottom of said chicken dome protrudes in use.

According to another aspect of the invention, the film can have a pair of slits defined therein, each slit being in receipt of a respective opposed corner of said chicken dome in use.

According to another aspect of the invention, the apparatus in use can have the same height as a standard plastic t-shirt sack for groceries having a volumetric capacity of one sixth of a barrel.

The present invention provides a relatively inexpensive alternative to the conventional cardboard chicken dome carrier. Other advantages, features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description and the appended claims with reference to the accompanying drawings and photographs, the latter being briefly described herein below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS AND PHOTOGRAPHS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of an apparatus for use with a chicken dome according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a view of the structure of FIG. 1 in use with a chicken dome, the dome being shown in phantom outline;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a second exemplary embodiment of an apparatus for use with a chicken dome, showing an exemplary chicken dome supported in dashed outline;

FIG. 4 is a perspective of a third exemplary embodiment of an apparatus for use with a chicken dome, showing an exemplary chicken dome supported within it in dashed outline;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a fourth exemplary embodiment of an apparatus for use with a chicken dome; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the structure of FIG. 5 in use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a chicken dome sling apparatus 2 according to one aspect of the invention. The sling 2 is formed from a single sheet of thin, transparent, flexible plastic, such as polyethylene film. It has a handle portion 10 defining one end and a cradle 8 at the other end. The handle portion 10 terminates in a handle 4. Cradle 8 is formed out a portion of the film that is folded over and connected to itself along a weld 14 to form a tubular portion 11 having opposed open ends 6. Tubular portion 11 of the cradle 8 has a plurality of short slits 16 extending lengthwise of the tubular portion 11 to increase the flexibility of the material and to allow the cradle 8 to stretch while a chicken dome 20 is inserted into the tubular portion 11 through one of the openings 6 in the cradle 8. As will be apparent to persons of ordinary skill, the openings 6 present horizontally, when sling 2 is gripped by the handle 4.

FIG. 2 shows the sling 2 of FIG. 1 as it appears in use, with an exemplary chicken dome 20 (shown in phantom outline) supported within the cradle 8. The chicken dome container 20 has a bottom tray 22 attached to an upper cover 26 at a lip 24 formed by the top of the tray 22. In use, and in this embodiment, the bottom surface of the tray 22 rests on the floor of cradle 8. For greater certainty, the chicken dome 20 forms no part of the present invention. The cradle 8 grippingly engages the chicken dome 20 in this embodiment, so as to ensure that the chicken dome 20 does not readily slide out and to hold the upper cover 26 and tray 22 together.

FIG. 3 shows an alternative embodiment of the chicken dome sling 2′. In this embodiment, the cradle 8 does not surround the entire chicken dome 20. Instead, the bottom of the cradle 8 has an aperture 12 shaped to accommodate the bottom of the tray 22 of the chicken dome 20, but too small to allow the top of the tray 22 to pass through due to the lip 24 around the top of the tray 22 where it connects to the cover 26. A chicken dome 20 may therefore be inserted into opening 6 and thence downward into the aperture 12 and supported by the sling 2, the sides of the aperture 12 supporting the lip 24.

In a further alternative embodiment 2″, shown in FIG. 4, the weld 14 is relocated closer to the handle 4 and an adjustable clip 30 is attached to the end of the sheet of plastic used to form the sling 2″. The clip 30 can be slid along the film to adjust the length of the handle portion 10 and the circumference of the cradle 8. This permits the sling 2″ to be used with domes of varying sizes (not shown).

A yet further alternative embodiment 2′ is shown in FIG. 5. In this embodiment, the sling 2′″ is defined by a single piece of plastic having handles 4 and slots 23. In use, as shown in FIG. 6, each slot 23 is in receipt of a respective opposed corner of said chicken dome in use. The slots 23 are spaced apart from one another, so as to require the film to be stretched from corner to corner of the dome for use. This locks the dome in position, and also locks the upper cover and tray together.

In each of the embodiments described above, the length of the handle and the height of the cradle 8 when it is loaded with a chicken dome 20, are calculated to give the loaded sling 2 the same general carriage characteristics (e.g. center of gravity and length) as a filled grocery bag of a type generally used in North America. This facilitates carrying the loaded sling 2 in the same hand as one or more bags containing other groceries. The type of bag emulated is what is known in the trade as a “t-shirt” sack, so named because of its shape in flattened profile, sized at one-sixth of a barrel.

Whereas specific embodiments are illustrated, variations are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention.

For example, other bag types and sizes can be emulated.

As well, instead of using a sliding clip, adjustment of the tubular portion may be accomplished by forming at least a bottom portion of the handle portion from two-ply material sealed together but unsealable through user action (not shown).

It is also possible to replace the weld(s) with other attachments means, such as staples, adhesives, ties, stitching, and so on.

While the embodiments described above are formed from a sheet of transparent polyethylene film, the sling could be formed otherwise than from a single sheet of plastic, and may be formed from other materials instead of plastic, such as fabric or paper, possibly reinforced with synthetic or natural fibers.

Furthermore, while the embodiments described above specify a transparent sling, thus ensuring maximum visibility of the chicken to a customer or prospective customer while it is being carried [which is an advantage over the conventional cardboard carrier] the sling may be formed from opaque or semi-opaque materials.

The slits can be omitted or have different shapes.

Further, features from one or more of the above-described embodiments may be selected to create alternative embodiments comprised of a sub-combination of features which may not be explicitly described above.

As well, features from one or more of the above-described embodiments may be selected and combined to create alternative embodiments comprised of a combination of features which may not be explicitly described above.

Features suitable for such combinations and sub-combinations would be readily apparent to persons skilled in the art upon review of the present application as a whole.

Accordingly, the invention should be understood as limited only by the accompanying claims, purposively construed. 

1. An apparatus for use with a chicken dome, comprising: a handle constructed from film; and a cradle constructed from film and supported from the handle in use, the cradle defining a tubular portion having an opening which presents horizontally in use, the cradle being adapted to support said chicken dome for carriage by the handle in use.
 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the handle and the cradle are formed integrally from a single sheet of film.
 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the film is transparent.
 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cradle is adapted to allow insertion of said chicken dome through the opening.
 5. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the cradle is adapted to grippingly engage said chicken dome in use.
 6. The apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising one or more slits in the tubular portion, the slits extending lengthwise of the tubular portion and flanking opposite sides of said chicken dome in use.
 7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the circumference of the tubular portion of the cradle is adjustable by means of a sliding clip through which the film defining the tubular portion extends.
 8. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a sliding clip to which the film defining the handle extends and from which the film defining the tubular portion extends, the circumference of the tubular portion and the length of the handle being adjustable through movement of said sliding clip.
 9. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the tubular portion defines an aperture through which the bottom of said chicken dome protrudes in use.
 10. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the film has a pair of slits defined therein, each slit being in receipt of a respective opposed corner of said chicken dome in use.
 11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus in use has the same height as a standard plastic t-shirt sack for groceries having a volumetric capacity of one sixth of a barrel.
 12. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the apparatus in use has the same height as a standard plastic t-shirt sack for groceries having a volumetric capacity of one sixth of a barrel.
 13. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the apparatus in use has the same height as a standard plastic t-shirt sack for groceries having a volumetric capacity of one sixth of a barrel.
 14. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the apparatus in use has the same height as a standard plastic t-shirt sack for groceries having a volumetric capacity of one sixth of a barrel.
 15. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the apparatus in use has the same height as a standard plastic t-shirt sack for groceries having a volumetric capacity of one sixth of a barrel.
 16. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the apparatus in use has the same height as a standard plastic t-shirt sack for groceries having a volumetric capacity of one sixth of a barrel.
 17. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the apparatus in use has the same height as a standard plastic t-shirt sack for groceries having a volumetric capacity of one sixth of a barrel.
 18. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the apparatus in use has the same height as a standard plastic t-shirt sack for groceries having a volumetric capacity of one sixth of a barrel.
 19. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the apparatus in use has the same height as a standard plastic t-shirt sack for groceries having a volumetric capacity of one sixth of a barrel.
 20. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the apparatus in use has the same height as a standard plastic t-shirt sack for groceries having a volumetric capacity of one sixth of a barrel. 